Really pretty awesome flowers......
August buds n' blooms
It just takes igoring the heck out of it.... The old 'watched pot' thingy!!!
Thanks... blush blush
Carol...did you hit that one with "Messenger" too? I am just about convinced that is one thing that can make a big difference in blooms and the amount of them.
I got blooms galore in the early part of summer after I used it. Then I didn't use it all summer and just ho hum blooms here & there.
I have had a H. deykei for 3 years and it is almost the same size as Carols. No blooms....no buds....no peduncles anywhere to be found on it.
It was in the house at the time I did the messenger last time. I have since moved it out, but still no blooms. I am doing the "messenger" thing again tomorrow for sure NOW. :-D
Marcy
Marcy - Interesting...I just started - within the last 6 weeks or so - using Messenger, and I swear I see a BIG difference in my hoyas. Since moving them outside, they have all put on alot of growth, but once I started using Messenger, they have gone crazy!! How often do you spray? Karen
I have an "idiot question" for Messenger users. If the Messenger tells the plant that it is under attack, thus producing more blooms, do you think there is the possibility that it can harm the plant in the long-run? Inquiring minds want to know... :-)
Ann
I wondered that too. Guess we need to talk to someone from the "Messenger" site to explain more of how it works & if it is actually harmful to the plants in the long run.
I mean, Im sure people trying to get a grand tomato crop aren't concerned about wheather the plant croaks after it makes tons of tomatos, but us hoya & houseplant lovers would not want long term affects on our babies. They need to explain more to us I think.
Marcy
Two different hoyas bloomed today ... H. bella
and this one... Before opening it was pink.
Ooooh, very pretty, cicada!
Ann
When I had my 'Winter from Hell" and thought it was the Messenger, I talked to the Plant Pathologist at the University. He told me that some years back when the Harpin Protein (Messenger key ingredient) was first touted as being terrific, the University tested it and found that it was impossible to OVERDOSE a plant and that nothing happened when the protein was stopped. The plant just went along on its' own routine. Today I sprayed and forgot to set the dial...was spraying 8oz. per gallon and couldn't believe I had used up that little package that FAST! What a blond I am!!!
Is that what it does? Tell the plant it is under attack? Hmmm, did n't know that.
Yes..I have seen a lot more blooms on the older plants...and some that have not bloomed much are still not blooming much. So, my take is that the Msngr. stimulates the plant and if the plant is on its' own way there, it speeds up. That H. deykei must've been saving all that up...and even a MUCH younger plant put on buds too. I don't think it is a Miracle Cure...I still have had to maintain a fungicide routine and patrol for beasties. Everything was treated with Imidocloprid...so my only enemy now is mites....which (Knock on Wood) I have not been presented with.
I spray with Msngr. about every 2.5-3 weeks. - Here are some of the things the folks at Eden Bio told me:
Messenger is more effective is used ALONE...but there is no harm in combining it with a fertilizer.
Use messenger on a plant about 4 days before you are going to take cuttings.
Use your systemic or fertilizer during the first week or two after applying the Messenger.
.....I can't say I have seen miracles since using the Messenger. I have seen my plants keep to their 'schedule' and inner clock as to blooming times. It has NOT prevented some problems with 'pots too small/medium decomposed/too much rain'...as my HUGE H. bella became 14 smaller pots. But then, the plant was 4 years old and nothing ever done to her...she lasted as long as she could. We saved the rootball and growth and she will live to bloom another day!!!
In general, I agree totally with Marcy...where I have used it the plants are growing beautifully and blooming well...
Carol
Shirley...great blooms!!!!
Cool, thanks Carol. Maybe I will give it a try. I am a nervous nellie about trying new things on my plants (took me a year of everyone here talking about Eleanor's before I would give it a try), now I spray the heck out of my plants with it and I do think it is beneficial.
Ann
I had the opportunity to meet Robin (AKA Thripmaster) at a DG Roundup this spring. She is a representative with Bio Eden and she did a presentation on Messenger. She was also kind enough to bring samples for the group. If you have questions about Messenger, she is more than happy to help out.
One of the things Robin told me was that one should not use Messenger on a plant that is declining as it will only accelerate it’s demise. Also, keep in mind that it should only be used when the plant is in active growth. It would not be a good idea to start using Messenger now as those of who live in temperate climates are heading towards fall. Robin also said that it is OK to mix Messenger with fertilizer. Actually, she sells a product called Mighty Plant, which contains the harpin protein Messenger as well as fertilizer.
The way it works is this: The harpin protein binds to a plant's receptors. The receptors react to the harpin as if it were a pathogen stimulating the plant to act. The plant responds sending a signal (or message) throughout itself, initiating a sequence of physiological and biochermical reactions. The response increases nutrient uptake, photosynthesis, vigor and reproductive activity of a plant. (Messenger brochure)
In short, it signals the plant is is dying. Have you ever had a Hoya that looked like death warmed over, however, it was blooming it's heart out? Messenger causes similar response in a plant. That said, if you have a plant that has root rot and spray with Messenger, it will only help speed up it's demise.
Please note that I by no means claim to be an expert on this topic. Rather, I am passing along what I have picked up along the way. Again, Robin is a wonderful lady and can certainly answer questions better than I!
The best prices are found through DG Co-op forum. The last time I ordered through a Co-Op, I paid $1.80 per gallon package. I imagine that the Messenger Co-Op's will start up again in late winter or early spring.
Mel
Shirley...beautiful blooms. Bellas always remind me of lovely little wax starfish.
Mel....GREAT info. Thanks for all that. Since I am in a mild climate and cold weather/dormate plants doesn't start here for another couple of months, I can safely still use it. In fact the hibicus and roses go wild with fall blooming here.
Is the Robin you are talking about the same Robin that used to share that other hoya forum with Debbie (Okie Deb). If not, what Robin? What is her email addy?
Thanks
Marcy
Not the same person, Marcie. Do a member search for the name Thripmaster and let me know if you still cannot find her. She lives in the Carolinas and she is really helpfull! I am sure if we asked her, she would come on this forum and answer questions. She's a super nice lady!
Awesome information Mel. Thanks!!! And, thanks for the warning about not starting to use it now that I'm heading into fall, so maybe next spring when I start to see new growth I'll give it a try.
Ann
OK...I have sprayed everthing that is fairly large and growing well with it. Will report on any new blooms bursting forth. Ha.
Marcy
Carol.....just wanted to let you know I mailed the pod out yesterday to you. I hope it gets there ok!
:) Kim
Supquintuplinervis finally setting buds:
How exciting. When I tried to find info on that hoya by "googling" it, the only place that came up was Christina's site telling how H. cv Christine is a cross of that one and pottsii. Where on Earth did you find that hoya, and please tell us more about it. I had never heard of it before.
Marcy
Yes, Mark. Tell us! That is a beautiful leaf pattern. What kind of care does it require, etc.
Ann
Mark, how long did it take for your subquintuplinervis to bloom? Mine has put out tons of new growth, after about a year of nothing, but no buds yet. I have been out of town, so maybe there will be a surprise waiting for me when I get home.
This message was edited Aug 14, 2006 5:42 PM
Subquintuplinervis (the only tongue twister named Hoya that I can actually spell right) came to me from Asiatica several years ago as H. pachyclada, as a rooted 5" cutting. It is often confused with that one. I think Awanda has some excellent photos of the two with commentary in her pictures on the MSN forum, or at least used to. She is the one who alerted me to the real identity of this plant. It's really cool, it has thick succulent looking branches and leaves, very rigid and with an interesting texture. Likes to be on the dry side, and seems to grow in spurts for me. White reflexed flowers that are supposed to smell really nice. With a little support, like a bamboo stake in the soil, the branches can actually stand upright, although this makes it a little top-heavy. I really like this one, it looks like a true succulent plant yet is quite graceful.
Mark, what kind of light? Awanda, if you are reading this, would you mind telling us your experiences with it too??
Thanks,
Ann
Bright light. It is supposed to turn a dark color in very intense light. It is not a fussy plant either, but does need to be turned often to prevent the leaves all facing one way. They are very stiff when mature and don't seem to reorient towards the light, so it can look lopsided.
One of my noid hoyas bloomed finally. This one has leaves that the veins stick up on a bit on some leaves. At least they are very visable on the lighter leaves. I think it must be in the acuta/verticilliata family, but never sure of which one. I was also told once it must be palidia.
See if any of you can ID this one for me.
Here is a shot with the leaves
And here is just the flower
Nice one, Marcy. It sure looks just like my sp. Bogor, aka pallida, aka verticillata. Don't you just love the smell?
Christina
A -HA.... BINGO!!! Sandyc...do you read that?
Sandy sent me this cutting...I grew it out with the name sp. Bogor Rumphii. Well, when Ted was here he said he was sent a bunch of cuttings from Bogor and this one was H. verticillata. That makes 5 H. verticillata I have now...and all the leaves are rather different/similar in a way. I DO love the flower and the fragrance.
YIPEEEEEEE.
It is gorgeous Marcy!
Thanks for the info Mark.
Ann
Wonderful. Thanks Christina. I looked on your website again, and YES...that IS the way the leaves look and now the flower too. So now I have an ID for the tags. Yeah!
With so many different verticillatas around, how do you mark them so you can tell which one you have? Do they have a number attached? Or do I just mark it "Pink One" like Christina has?
I found this one hard to get to bloom. I've had it for several years in different pots in different places, and this is the very first little bloom I managed to get. Is that so with these, or is it just me?
Marcy
Some of mine are generous bloomers...one or two very stingy...but then, I grow them differently, too. The big bloomers seem to like/be in higher light.
Well, the one I got the bloom on is hanging from a shady hibiscus but does get about a half hour of very late afternoon sun.
However, I find that the leaves on this plant get rather pale in bright light, whereas the ones hanging in complete shade have much prettier dark speckled leaves. I guess you can't have it all. Ha.
Marcy
Marcy, I've also noticed that this one gets pale in the sun so I've given it shade this summer and it looks a lot better. AND it's bloomed more than ever!
Here's a freshly opened (last night) onychoides for you. I'm sniffing it in the whole room!
Christina
Christina, is onychoides a good bloomer for you?
Mark, it's constantly blooming. When the old flowers are gone, there are mostly new ones right underneath.
Christina
Hmmmmmm....It would travel from Australia pretty well too, I bet.
Im so glad I got that one from Carol last year. It was just a big baby with 4 leaves when I got it, but over the summer has grown a bunch of new ones, and they are the prettiest DARK green, dimpled when they start out leaves I have seen on a hoya yet. They are much like macgillivrayi leaves only this very dark color (like Hershey bar chocolate on new leaves). Of course I haven't had a bloom yet, and I can't wait for that to happen, but I would like this one anyway. It has BIG vines tho, so I moved it from a hanging pot to a trellis one just the other day as the vines were headed up the olive tree. Ha. Will show a pic later.
Marcy
Yes, they do get big, don't they? Funny, this one and all it's close relatives (mac, archie, megalaster) all look almost exactly alike! Except a little variation in the color of new leaves, some being darker or more red, and some with slightly larger or smaller leaves.
Here are a couple blooms I have open right now....
1) Hoya obovata...first bloom: http://community.webshots.com/photo/63951853/2199023950044472573APqfst
2) Hoya pubicalyx...not sure which one: http://community.webshots.com/photo/63951853/2318856700044472573jMxzDO
3) Hoya obscura: http://community.webshots.com/photo/63951853/2406355100044472573DEtKBE
4) Hoya obscura...whole plant: http://community.webshots.com/photo/63951853/2535831970044472573hgOaeJ#
And for fun....a hummingbird visiting this afternoon: http://community.webshots.com/photo/455495385/2637746760044472573TpMeJK
Enjoy! Kim